8.5/10

Perth surf punks Aborted Tortoise launched their debut full length album An Beach last Saturday at Mojos Bar in North Fremantle with special guests Pat Chow, Shit Narnia, Boat Show and Last/Tuneless.

Last/Tuneless welcomed the incoming punters with a short but strong set. Being relatively new on the scene, they are already creating a buzz.

Boat Show

Boat Show have been turning heads since their inception and with their debut album Groundbreaking Masterpiece released only a few weeks back, the band are on fire. I Can’t Win was was an early favourite off the album, with singer Ali Flintoff leading the chants, “This is shit!, I can’t win!”. Lead guitarist Stella Donnelly shines on stage with her impressive riffage and backing vocals, a talent in her own right. Donnelly and Flintoff command the stage with a sense of fun an enthusiasm, not to take anything away from the rhythm section that play remarkably tight, a precision that only comes with years of experience playing on the live stage. Other favourites off the album were Stupid and Staying Alive. There is such a fun pop/punk energy to this band’s live show that contrasts the serious and timely message that it carries.

Shit Narnia

Shit Narnia were next up and did what they do best, sweaty punk rock. The verses in between the aggressive, distorted screamo chorus sections are what struck a chord for me. Verses of spoken word, like punk poetry, make their style shine out from other more derivative punk bands. I could hear elements of The Smith Street Band in their sound, but those similarities stem from a strong root in Australian punk. These guys, lead by vocalist Hugh Manning, put everything they have into their performance and it makes for one hell of a show.

Pat Chow

Pat Chow just nail it. Catchy tunes and a massive sound. Ben Protasiewicz charmed the crowd with his drunken wit as they burst into their set. The overdriven bass tone that Andrew Meredith creates in Pleasure Unit is just face melting, and together with Ben’s awesome guitar tone, they manifest a huge wall of sound. Ben’s playing transcended technicality with a flow and charisma that made for a flawless performance and included, at one point, guitar soloing behind his head. Closing with Bad Thoughts, it’s a riff that would leave The Smashing Pumpkins jealous.

Pat Chow – Pic by Tashi Hall

Aborted Tortoise were here tonight to launch their debut album An Beach, and even after a break in live performances to record the album, they were back in fine form to rip through a set comprised mostly of songs on the album, and by squeezing 15 songs onto the album, it made for a machine gun set.

Aborted Tortoise

Opening with TV Set,Bees 1 and Bees 2, bass player John Peers was off the chain and guitarists Tom Milan and Charles Wickham shredded, taking turns with lead solos and surf guitar riffs reminiscent of Radio Birdman. Chicks Dig Scars was a familiar favourite. Singer Connor Lane sang and moved like a man possessed while drummer Alex Patching was relentless. By this time it was a full house and the venue was pumping. An extended instrumental hit the peak of energy for the finale, the crowd called for an encore and after brief deliberation between the band on stage, they obliged.

Aborted Tortoise – Pic by Tashi Hall

A huge amount of talent was on show tonight and a massive turnout from punters made for a great night of local music and entertainment. Props to Mojos for having such a good sound and intimacy that elevates a show like this through the roof.